1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a computer, particularly a home type, which receives two separate auxiliary input devices.
2. Discussion of Background
A home computer is usually used with a screen, such as a monitor or a television receiver, on which a text and/or drawings or graphs are made to appear. The dialog between the user and computer is generally performed by a pointing device of the "mouse" type or a control stick or joystick.
A mouse is a device that can be moved by the user over a working plane and whose movements, on this plane, are reproduced on the screen by a pointer, for example, in the form of an arrow. Such a device also comprises at least one push button which is actuated when the pointer is at a desired place to execute a command.
To detect the movements of the mouse on the working plane, the latter exhibits in its lower part a spherical wheel associated with two coding wheels, one of which provides an algebraic signal of displacement along the axis of abscissas x,x and the other provides an algebraic signal of displacement along the axis of ordinates y,y.
A control stick or joystick exhibits a lever jointed in all directions on a base. The movements of this lever control the displacement on the screen of a drawn symbol. Such a device can also include two push-type control buttons which, when actuated, make it possible to control operations determined by a program.
On occasion joysticks are employed in pairs. Furthermore, for some joysticks, two potentiometers are associated with each lever. One of the potentiometers represents algebraic pivoting along one degree of freedom and controls the displacement along the axis of the abscissas on the screen, and the other of potentiometer is associated with the algebraic pivoting of the lever along the other degree of freedom and controls the displacement of the object on the screen along the axis of the ordinates. The variable resistor of each of these potentiometers is associated with a monostable circuit and fixes the time constant of this circuit.
Previously, most home computers have two separate inputs for two types of devices: one for the mouse, the other for the joystick. But the multiplication of the number of inputs obliges the user to make choices when making connections, which is convenient. A mouse and joystick are never employed simultaneously.